


His And Mine Are The Same

by castiel_ambrose



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Background Relationships, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, author's lack of knowledge on how art museums work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:54:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24238381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/castiel_ambrose/pseuds/castiel_ambrose
Summary: "A few months ago some historians found buried sketches of an unknown male model in the floorboards underneath the da Vinci studio in Venice and some more in Rome. They were confirmed to be his and they were eventually brought here for the public to see for the first and limited time.”“Are you somehow related to Leonardo da Vinci? I mean, the same first name, you seem to know about him quite well…?”“You’re sadly not original about that.”---A reincarnation/soulmate AU
Relationships: Claudia Auditore da Firenze/Yusuf Tazim, Ezio Auditore da Firenze/Leonardo da Vinci
Comments: 5
Kudos: 96





	His And Mine Are The Same

_ “Mio caro, what are you doing?” Ezio’s voice was still rough from sleep as he yawned and stretched, looking over at Leonardo from where he was lying in bed. The artist in turn looked up from where he was sketching in his chair, charcoal staining his hands. The man smiled easily, a warm feeling spreading through Ezio and under his skin. _

_ “You’re a wonderful subject to sketch, Ezio, but only when you’re asleep.” Leonardo’s smile grew at the furrow in his lover’s brow. “Otherwise you never sit or stay anywhere long enough to get a decent picture.” _

_ “Is that an insult or a compliment?” Ezio sniffed, faux wounded, before turning and sitting up. He made to get out of the bed, sheets pooling at his hips, but Leonardo slid into bed to stop him with nothing more than a hand on his arm. _

_ “Don’t pout, you’re too handsome for it.” Leonardo reprimanded him, pressing a kiss to the corner of the younger man’s mouth, the dark beginnings of a beard tickling his lips and cheek. _

_ “Show me the sketch and maybe I’ll forget to be upset that you left our bed for this.” _

_ “No such luck. Mi dispiace, amore mio, but… some things are just for myself when I miss you.” Leonardo smiled as he spoke, truth coloring his words like the oils he used in his paintings. _

_ “Then you’re going to have to find another way to make it up to me.” Ezio grinned, and Leonardo mirrored it as he leaned in, hand moving up Ezio’s arm to cup his cheek. _

_ “I think we can find some way to do that.” The morning was young, after all. They could pretend that they had all the time in the world. _

* * *

The museum was nearly full but Ezio tried his best to keep an eye on Claudia and Yusuf as they darted around the different art exhibits. He had agreed to drive the two teens and to pay a bit for any tickets they needed; a good deal of it was because of his mother, he would admit, but there was another part of him that felt he needed to keep an eye out for his younger sister and, well… She was gone.

Not that Yusuf was… untrustworthy, but he'd be much more at ease with the teens in his sight. There was no such luck and he resigned himself to wandering the art until he eventually got the text to pick them up and drive them home; or, more his luck, drive them to the nearest hamburger place and pay for their dinner.

“ _ Mi scusi _ , are you lost?” Ezio turned to look behind him, finding a man around his age, maybe a bit older, sitting on one of the benches near the abstracts, a small sketchpad in his hands, and a pencil. He could almost be taken for one of the museum staff if it wasn’t for the shoulder-length dirty blonde hair and the dark red beanie he was wearing. Something warm barely began to fill his chest before he tamped it down.

“Only a bit. I’ve never been here before, so I…” Ezio tried to shrug and play it off. “It’s no matter. Though, if I’m being honest, most people come to these places with the intent of studying the art, not making more.” He quirked an eyebrow upwards and the other only blushed a little bit, sitting up straighter.

“It’s the perfect place for inspiration if you think about it.”

“It’s quite loud for inspiration.”

“Do you like to be a contrarian?” The other man gave his own look, and Ezio couldn’t help to smirk before he felt bold and came to sit next to the other.

“What’s your name?”

“Leonardo. And you,  _ signore _ ?”

“Ezio. A pleasure.” They shook hands and Ezio tried to sneak a peek at the sketchpad before Leonardo quickly flipped it closed. “What do you draw?”

“People. Objects. Anything, really.”

“And I can’t see?”

“We have yet to decide if you’re worthy enough for that.” Leonardo was matter of fact and Ezio’s smirk turned into a full-blown grin as he chuckled.

“Maybe I can be your next model?”

A light, almost indignant blush spread across Leonardo’s nose and cheeks, highlighting his many freckles. “We’ll just have to see.”

Dear God above, Ezio knew he needed more.

“Is it always this busy?”

“No. But it’s only because they uncovered new da Vinci sketches.”

“Wasn’t that a movie?”

Leonardo actually paused before continuing. 

“Not that. A few months ago some historians found buried sketches of an unknown male model in the floorboards underneath the da Vinci studio in Venice and some more in Rome. They were confirmed to be his and they were eventually brought here for the public to see for the first and limited time.”

“Are you somehow related to Leonardo da Vinci? I mean, the same first name, you seem to know about him quite well…?”

“You’re sadly not original about that.” Leonardo rolled his eyes as he spoke, but instead of any dissuading tone or rejection, he almost seemed to look amused. They were sitting close at this point, and Ezio allowed himself to watch and take the artist in for just a second more.

“Maybe you’ll give me more ability to be original if we spend some more time together? I could work on my material some more.”

“And what do you suggest we do, Ezio?” He cocked his head, and Ezio took a second to consider.

“You obviously know more than I do. Mind showing me the da Vinci sketches and where they are?”

“If I could get us through the crowd, I’d be happy to show you. There’s a line to see them.”

“I can get us through the crowd if you’d be open to it.” The invitation was there, and though Ezio would completely understand if he denied it, but there was a small part of him that wanted nothing more than to spend more time with this artist, find what made him tick. It wasn’t just some passing fantasy; it was there and insistent. He wanted anxiously as Leonardo thought, and found himself inwardly overjoyed when the blonde smiled and nodded.

“It’s a deal.”

* * *

Ezio ended up using some skills Rosa had taught him and made sure Leonardo was close as they slipped through the crowds and lines, eventually getting to the entrance of the small room where the sketches were set up. The lights were dim, so as not to fade the sketches or curl the yellow paper, and the displays they were set in were distanced behind red ropes. A few small scraps were held in glass boxes you could peer down into. There were a few of them, and they both went down the line, coming into view of one whose subject was lying face down in bed, long hair falling over the nape of his neck with what looked like sheets wrapping him.

“So… Did he have a lover?” Ezio whispered as they waited to move ahead to see the next one.

“Maybe. Obviously someone important to him. The detail is rushed, but… you can feel the care in each stroke at the same time.”

“It’s kind of sad they couldn’t exactly be open about it.” Ezio murmured, and Leonardo hummed as they went down the line, the subject’s face always out of view or obscured somehow but the body in different activities; sleeping, some reading, once even just sitting reclined on a bench in what looked like nicely detailed, if somewhat extravagant, robes.

“I don’t think…” Leonardo started off softly, stopping as they came to the final propped up sketch, “I don’t think they cared all that much. They had each other, didn’t they? If they really were lovers, at least.”

Ezio glanced over at Leonardo as he started to be the leader, watching the older man as his eyes flitted over the pages and pictures. “You really think so?”

Leonardo nodded before Ezio even finished, and they stopped as they came to final pieces of paper. More to the point, it was Leonardo who stopped in his tracks as Ezio almost ran into him. He had to stifle the shout of surprise and stop himself from disrupting the other patrons as Leonardo peered down into the case.

“What’s wrong?” Ezio wasn’t even sure if there was anything wrong since he didn’t look particularly upset or anything, but there was something almost distant on his face as he looked down. Ezio followed his gaze, quickly sparing a glance at the plaque which labeled the picture as the possible identity of da Vinci’s secret lover. 

The picture was of a sleeping man, obviously satisfied somehow. Only one part of his face was visible, the rest lying against a pillow, but it was easy to see the small marks on his face, almost lovingly included. A scar ran on his lip, and Ezio felt a shiver down his spine as he looked at this man who had so obviously captured the artist’s heart in such a manner to deserve being immortalized in hidden sketches.

“Nothing.” Leonardo finally spoke up, seemingly coming back to himself. “I simply… I simply wish that I could draw as well as that.” He offered lamely, a slightly embarrassed tinge of pink adding itself onto his cheeks.

“I’m sure you draw just as well as this man. Likely even better. Don’t compare yourself to him.” Ezio was quiet but insistent, and the blonde finally turned to look at him.

“You think so?”

“I do. Though, I can’t say that I’m the most unbiased judge.” He grinned a bit. “I’ve been sort of rejected from looking at them.”

The tinge deepened just a bit, and Leonardo spared a glance back the paper before his eyes darted back to Ezio. “If…” Leonardo started off slowly and a bit hesitantly, “you would like to actually see them… I could try and use you for an example if you’d be up to it.”

Ezio’s grin turned into a beaming smile and he nodded. “Anytime you need me, I’m there.” 

Leonardo mirrored his smile and Ezio was struck with a foreign feeling, but something that he somehow knew all the same. They were young. And they had all the time in the world, didn’t they?

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this and would want to see more, head to my [tumblr](https://straight-into-the-animus.tumblr.com/) and let me know your ideas! I also do other ships and random headcanons/imagines, so come by and say hi! Thank you for reading and have an amazing day, safety and peace!


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